Turkey's Erdogan tells supporters he does not 'recognise' LGBT

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech at the Extraordinary Congress of his ruling AK Party in Ankara, Turkey October 7, 2023. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Turkish Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday he did not "recognise LGBT" and vowed to combat "perverse" trends which he said aimed to destroy the institution of family in the country.

Turkey's government, led by Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted AK Party, has toughened its stance on LGBTQ freedoms in recent months, particularly while campaigning for this year's elections in May.